Featured video

Description: A synthetic narcotic, fentanyl has been detected in an increasing number of illicit drug overdose deaths in Metro Vancouver. Many of the people who died were recreational and/or occasional users and don’t appear to have known they were ingesting fentanyl, as it is easily hidden in other drugs.

Alberta's former premier Ralph Klein seriously ill in seniors' home

Former premier Ralph Klein is seriously ill in a Calgary continuing care facility. He has been suffering from frontal lobe dementia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder.

Photograph by: Leah Hennel
, Calgary Herald

Former premier Ralph Klein is seriously ill in the Calgary seniors’ facility that has been his home since 2011.

Klein, who led Alberta from 1992 to 2006 and was Calgary’s mayor between 1980 and 1989, has been suffering from frontal lobe dementia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder.

He was hospitalized in September of 2011 and moved into a continuing care facility in October of that year.

Rod Love, the former chief of staff to Klein who has served as a spokesman for the family, declined to comment on the 70-year-old’s condition.

“He’s resting comfortably. I was up there this morning, I can’t go into any more detail than that,” Love said.

“When there’s something to say or any updates, we’ll have something to say.”

Calgary businessman Ross Glen, a longtime friend of Klein, visits the former premier monthly and saw him about a week ago.

“He’s not in very good shape as it is,” Glen said. “It’s hard to see him like that because he’s such a good guy.”

While Klein was at times a controversial figure, he oversaw sweeping changes to the province, notably the elimination of the province’s debt and deficit. He had a remarkable string of success in electoral politics, leading the Progressive Conservatives to four majority government victories.

Klein was named an officer of the Order of Canada last year, with his wife Colleen presented the insignia of office in an unprecedented ceremony in Calgary.

Marisa Etmanski, Klein’s former press secretary and longtime friend, said the former premier is resting comfortably and there are no plans to move him to a hospital.

“I know he is not well, and his condition, of course, is progressing,” she said.

Etmanski said she has warm memories of her last visit with him.

“He recognized me and smiled and held my hand,” she said.

“What I would say is he is doing the best he can and is as comfortable as he can be.”

We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page for more information.